;)
October 7th, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2015 Contact: Michele Rejonis
t: 304.905.6005
michele@wheelhousecreativellc.com
Circuit Court Approves $18 Million Wrongful Death Settlement by Bordas & Bordas Arising out of Tyler County Explosion
WHEELING, W. VA. - A lawsuit arising out of the death of a local man resulting from a 2013 explosion at a Tyler County oil and gas operation came to a conclusion on Wednesday. The Circuit Court of Ohio County approved the settlement of $18 Million for the wrongful death case that had been filed by the law firm of Bordas & Bordas on behalf of the family of Bruce Phipps.
The lawsuit alleged that the negligence of several companies who were involved in operating the Eureka-Hunter Pipeline, LLC Twin Hickory pig launching and receiving station caused the explosion that led to Phipps’ death. Phipps was survived by his widow, Karen Phipps, who initiated the lawsuit on behalf of the Estate, as well as a daughter, two grandchildren and three siblings.
Scott Blass, a partner at Bordas & Bordas, who served as lead counsel in the case commented on the settlement, “This fine man who died as a result of the significant burns received over most of his body suffered in a way that no person should be forced to suffer. As a result, this family will forever be without a husband, a dad and a grandfather. The most tragic part of this very sad scenario is that this could have been avoided if these companies simply would have conducted their operations in a safe and reasonable manner. Although this settlement will not bring Bruce back, we are hopeful that it will cause companies to think twice before putting workers in harm’s way when conducting their operations throughout the Tri-State region.”
In addition to Eureka-Hunter Pipeline, LLC, other defendants in the case included Triad Hunter, LLC, Transtex Hunter, LLC, Magnum Hunter Resources Corporation, Apex Pipeline Services, Inc., Exterran Energy Solutions, LP, and Western Oilfields Supply Company, Inc. dba Rain For Rent.
Jamie Bordas, managing partner at Bordas & Bordas, who served as lead negotiator on the case, stated “I am very pleased with the work that our firm was able to do in this case. We take pride in having the experience and talent to fight to try to get large corporations to conduct business in a safer way. We know that the oil and gas companies are going to be in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio on a long-term basis and we want to be the ones to make sure that they protect the lives of the workers and citizens in our communities while they are here.”
The settlement is believed to be one of the largest, if not the largest, settlements in the history of Ohio County on behalf of a single family.
Bordas & Bordas is a plaintiff’s litigation law firm of 19 attorneys based in Wheeling, W.Va., with offices in Moundsville, W.Va., St. Clairsville, Ohio and Pittsburgh. The firm’s attorneys practice throughout the region in diverse areas of law. For more information, please contact Jamie Bordas at 304.242.8410 or Michele Rejonis at 304.905.6005, or visit bordaslaw.com.
-end-
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2015
Contact: Michele Rejonis
t: 304.905.6005
michele@wheelhousecreativellc.com
Circuit Court Approves $18 Million Wrongful Death Settlement by Bordas & Bordas Arising out of Tyler County Explosion
